1 of 5 | White House crypto czar David Sacks and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg (R) attend a dinner hosted by President Donald Trump with tech leaders at the White House in September. Zuckerberg testified Wednesday in a trial that will decide if his platforms intentionally addict kids. File Photo by Will Oliver/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said he consulted different stakeholders about well-being when making decisions about social media, but ultimately decided that banning beauty filters would be "paternalistic."
Zuckerberg testified Wednesday in a lawsuit in Los Angeles filed by a 20-year-old woman called KGM in the suit and her mother, Karen Glenn, who claim the platforms damaged her mental health as a child. It's the first in a group of lawsuits brought by 1,600 parents, teens and school districts who allege that when teens are addicted to the platforms, they suffer from depression, self-harm, eating disorders and more.
KGM, also known as Kaley in the suit, began using YouTube at age 6 and Instagram at 9, said her lawyer, Mark Lanier. Despite her mother's efforts to mitigate her social media use, Kaley sometimes used Instagram for "several hours a day." The app's addictive features led her to develop anxiety, body dysmorphia and suicidal thoughts, she alleges. She was also the victim of bullying and sextortion.
